Meanwhile, in the upper core of Egghead Island, inside the laboratory where the Seraphim were stored and calibrated.
The vast space, large enough to accommodate several warships, had been reduced to a battlefield ravaged by violence.
The initial three-way melee-
Sanji and Jinbe of the Straw Hat Pirates, the CP0 remnants seeking to seize control-Kaku and Stussy-
and the Seraphim driven berserk by conflicting orders or interference with their core programming, attacking friend and foe alike-S-Hawk, S-Snake, S-Shark, S-Bear, and the others-
had undergone a subtle shift after a brutal, chaotic exchange that wore down all sides.
Sanji, Jinbe, Kaku, and Stussy had all quickly realized one cruel truth:
The Seraphim's defenses were so strong they inspired despair. Ordinary attacks barely affected them, while their own strikes were sharp and lethal.
If the three-way battle continued, these tireless war machines with their absurd defenses would gradually wear everyone down and kill them.
"Tch! These damn hunks of iron!" Kaku wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. His awakened hybrid form-
though it granted tremendous strength and wide-ranging attacks, had still suffered badly under the Seraphim's lasers and slashes.
Easing off, Kaku glanced at Sanji and Jinbe nearby, then at the Seraphim regrouping once again, red light flickering in their eyes. His gaze shifted uncertainly.
Stussy used her superb martial arts and technological equipment to evade S-Snake's Mero Mero Mellow and Slave Arrow.
Her alluring face had lost its composure as well. "Kaku, we have to deal with these out-of-control weapons first!" she said gravely.
"Otherwise, none of us will get near the Main Control Console! No-forget that! We might actually die here!"
Elsewhere, Jinbe took a heavy punch from S-Bear head-on. The floor cracked beneath his feet as he called gravely to Sanji,
"Sanji! There's something strange about